Grain-separator



` (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

0. M. MORSE. GRAIN SEPARATOR.

.Patented June 2.0, 1893.

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TNE cams PETER: ou.. PHoToMTwo.. wAsHmuToN, n. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. M. MORSE. GRAIN SBPRATOR.

Patented June 20, 1893.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. O. M. MORSE.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

No. 499,795. Patented June 20, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORVILLE M. MORSE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

G RAI N S EPARATO R. furl/Tlf SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 499,795, dated J' une 20, 1893.

Application filed September 19, 1892. Serial No. 446,299. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, ORvILLE M. Monsua citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan,have invented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Separatore, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the separating machine forwhich Letters Patent No. 441,372, dated November 25, 1890, and ReissueNo. 11,165, dated May 12, 1891, were granted to me.

The separating machine of said patent contains a separating chamberwhich has an imperforate peripheral wall and an outlet at one end forthe heavy material and at the opposite end for the light material, and arotating air propelling device which is located in the separatingchamber near the outlet for the heavy material, and Which causes the airto circulate from the axial portion of the chamber to the peripheralWall, thence along the peripheral wall to the opposite end, and thenceback through the axial portion of the chamber, so that the circulatingair current moves along the peripheralwall from the outlet for the heavymaterial to the outlet for the light material and so carries the dust tothe last named outlet.

The object of the present invention is to provide the machine withcontrivances Whereby the grain or other heavy material, which isdischarged from the separating chamber, is subjected to further air orgravity separationsl ioremove the light material mixed with it, and toimprove the machine in other respects so as to render it betteravailable for use as a grain scour-er or smut machine and for similaruses. y

Y In the accompanying drawings consisting of three sheetszFigure1 is avertical section of an upright grain scouring and separating machineprovided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of themachine, partly in section, the section being taken inline 2 2, Fig. l.Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section in line 4 4., Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryvertical section through the upper por? tion of the scouring case, inline 5-5 Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section showing the peripheralwall of the scouring case polygonal in form. Fig. 7 is a verticallongitudinal section of a horizontal grain scouring and separatingmachine provided with my improvements, the plane ofsection being takenin line 7-7, Fig. 8. Fig. S is a sectional end elevation of thismachine, the section being taken in line 8-8, Fig. 7.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the periph eral wallof the scouring chamber which haspreferably the form of a frustu'm-of a cone or pyramid. In the uprightmachine represented in Figs. 1 to 5, this peripheral wall is securedwith its lower,

large end to a bottom plate A', which rests upon the stationary frame ofthe machine, and with its small upperend to a top plate A2.

,B represents a vertical shaft arranged axially in the scouringchamberand extending below the same. The lower end of this shaft issupported by a step bearing on" a bridgetree b secured to the stationaryframe of the machine, and the shaft is provided above the bridge-treewith a driving pulley b. The upper eudvof the shaft is supported in abearing b2 secured tothe topplate A2.

c represents the feed pipe through which the grain, or other material tobe operated upon, is introduced into the scouring case,

and which enters the upper portion of the latter near the center thereofand delivers the grain into a feed saucer C which is secured to theshaft B in the lower-portion of the scouring chamber.

D represents an annular plate arranged horizontally below the feedsaucer and secured tol the shaft B below the saucer by a spider d. Thisplate carries on its underside the blades or wings F. by which the airis set in motion Within the machine and which are arranged underneaththe outer portion of the plate. The interior surfaces of the feed saucerand annular plate are preferably ribbed `or roughened near their edgesto increase the IOO .chamber and so retard its escape therefrom,

and which also turn the grain over as the kernels roll over theseflanges at their upper edges and at their inner ends.

h represents the opening for the discharge of the grain formed in thebottom plate A near the peripheral wall of the scouring chamber. t'represents the opening formed in the top plate A2 near the peripheralwall of the scouring chamber for the escape of the smut or other lightdust. This opening connects with adust spout I extending downwardly onthe outer side of the scouring chamber and preferably provided in itsupper portion with an adjustable internal gate t by which the flow ofthe dust through the spout can be regulated. The grain which isdischarged through the opening h is accompanied by an air currentcomposed of part of the air which is set in motion by the rotatingblades in the scouring chamber. The plump grain' is first Separated fromthis air current and the chaff, chess, shrunken grains, dsc., which arecarried on the air current, are separated therefrom, and the plump grainis subjected to a further air separation in an air or gravity separatorinto which the grain and air current pass from the scouring chamber, andwhich is constructed as follows: j is an inclined board 'or platearranged underneath the grain discharge opening h and inclined towardthe center of the machine and forming the outer and lower wall of an airpassage, the inner wall of which is formed by a plate j carrying at itslower end an adjustable valve jfl. The plate j and the valve t7'2 arearranged near the shaft B of the machine, and the valve j 50 l72 isprovided with a stem extending through the casing of the machine andprovided out'- side of the casing with a hand lever and fastening bywhich the valve is'adjusted and secured in position, as is usual 1ngrain cleaning machines. The board j forms at the same time the top ofan air passage through which the air flows outwardly and whose bottom isformed by an inclined board J arranged underneath the board j andparallel therewith and extending inwardly beyond the shaft B. The airpassage between the boards y and J may be divided into two parts, onearranged above the other, by an inclined board f.

K represents the chaff hopper which is arranged outside of and below theboard J, and which receives at its upper end the air current iiowingoutwardly through the passage L represents an inclined board whichisarranged below the inclined board J and which extends with its upper endinto the chaff hopper K, and has its lower end arranged at the oppositeside of the machine. The boards J and L form the top and bottom of anair passage through which the air iiows from the chaff hopper to theopposite side of the machine. At the inner end of the board J isarranged an ascending air passage, the inner and outer walls of whichare formed by boards m and m. The latter extends downwardly below theboard J and toward the board L above which it is arranged while theboard m is arranged above the lower end of the board J.

M is an adjustable upright board arranged on the inner side of the outerwall m of this ascending air passage and made adjustable toward and fromthe opposite vertical wall by screws m2 or other suitable means, so thatthe size of this air passage can be regulated. The casing of theVmachine is provided with covered hand holes of well known constructionopposite the screws fm2 through which holes access can be had to thescrews, when required.

N represents a flap valve which is arranged over the lower portion ofthe inclined board J and which rests loosely upon the grain flowing oversaid board and prevents any considerable volume of air from passingdownwardly with said grain. 4

O represents the chess hopper which communicates with the upper end ofthe ascending air passage formed between the boards m m and in which thechess, broken grain, dac., are deposited. This chess hopper may bedivided into two parts by an inclined partition O when it is desired toseparate the deposited materials into two grades and in this case thetwo grades of material are discharged from the hopperby two valves O2O3.

p represents a horizontal board which forms the bottom of an air passageleading from the upper part of the chess hopper to a central opening Pformed in the bottom A of the scouring chamber. This openingis preferably provided with an adjustable gate p' for regulating the aircurrent passing through 'separation is made of the detached smut andother iine dust from the grain and coarser impurities, the smut and finedust being driven by the air current in the scouring chamber to andthrough the dust outlet at the up-vl IOC IIO

per end thereof, while the grain and coarser impurities are dischargedthrough the opening in the bottom plate provided for that purpose. Partof the air which is set in motion by the rotating blades escapes fromthe scouring chamber with the grain and coarser impurities. The plumpgrain is separated from this air current at the lower end of theinclined plate 7' where the grain drops through the air current anddescends over the inclined plate J, while the air current reverses itsdirection and passes upwardly and outwardly to the top of the chaffhopper. The heavier grade of the coarse impurities carried on the aircurrent is deposited in this hopper, and the air current, still carryingthe lighter grade of these coarse impurities, moves oninwardly anddownwardly until it reaches the end of the inclined board Jwhere itassumes an upward direction and passes through the descending plumpgrain which escapes over the inclined plane of the board J and separatesfrom the grainany light impurities Which may be mixed with it. The aircurrent now passes through the chess hopper where the lightimpuritiescarried on the air are deposited and iinally returns tothe interior ofthe scouring chamber through the central open.

an opening 'i2 provided with a valve t3, so that.

the dust can be directed from the dust spout into the chaff hopper byplacing the valve obliquely across the dust spout, as shown in Fig. 2,or can be discharged separately by closing the opening in the side ofthe chaff hopper. The chaff hopper may be provided with a partition 7cdepending from the upper end of the inclined board J, for the purpose ofs giving the air current first a descending and then an ascendingdirection in the hopper, and this partition may be perforated, as shownin Fig. l, for the purpose of allowing part of the air to pass throughit in a more directtained in the grain will pass through the' screen andescape through an opening Z in the lower portion of the plate L,together with impurities which may reach this opening` from the upperportion of the inclined plate L.

Instead of making the peripheral wall of thescouring chamber circular incross secanism and the same gravity or air separator which are employedin the upright machine, but the scouring and dust separating mechanismis arranged with its axis horizontally and on one side of the gravityseparator instead of being arranged perpendicularly and above thegravity separator as in the upright machine. In this horizontal machinethe feed spout c delivers the grain directly upon the peripheral wall ofthe scou ring chamber from which it is discharged after it has beenscoured and' the dust has been separated from it through the opening 71,in the large head A of the scouring chamber. This opening is inclosed bya hood h` which contines the grain and the air escaping withit from theopening h. The wings run in an upward direction on that side of themachine, and the grain and air are discharged in an upward direction.The hood extends therefore beyond the upper, inner and lower sides ofsaid opening, but can be arranged closely against the outer side of saidopening. The hood his provided at its lower end with an opening h2through which the grain escapes while the air current carrying thecoarse impurities in suspension passes upwardly to the upper end of thechaff hopper. After depositing the chaff in the same the air currentpasses through the descending stream of plump grain and ascends to thechess hopper and finally returns to the interior of the scouring chamberthrough the opening P. The several parts of the gravity separator areconstructed and operate substantially like those of the gravityseparator ofthe upright machine. The grain discharge opening h may beprovided with agate h3 for regulating the discharge of the grain and airtherefrom.

The dust spoutl, which leads from the dust outletiat the small end ofthe scouring chamber to the chaff hopper, is provided in its bottom withan opening #provided with a valve t5. Upon opening this valve the dustcan be discharged from this spout through that opening, while by closingthe valve, the dust is sent to the chaff hopper.

The shaft B of the horizontal machine is arranged horizontally andcarries the driving pulley b at one end.

l claim as my inventionl. The combination with the scouring and dustseparating chamber having a dust outlet at one end, an outlet for grainand air at the other end and an internal air propelling de-V vice, of -achamber which is connected with the grain outlet and in which the grainis separated from the air current, and a return passage whereby the aircurrent is conducted back to the scouring chamber, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination with the scouring and Ico` IIO

dust separating chamber having a dust outlet at one end, an outlet forgrain and air at the other end and an internal air propelling device, Ofa chamber which is connected With the grain outlet and in which thegrain is separated from the air current, a hopper through which the aircurrent passes after having left the grain and in which the heavyimpurities are deposited, and a return air passage leading to thescouring chamber, substantially as s'et forth.

3. The combination with the scouring and Y dust separating chamberhaving a dust outlet at one end, an outlet lfor the grain and air at theother end and an linternal air propelling device, of a chamber which isconnected with the grain outlet and in which the grain is separated fromthe air current, a hopper through which the air current passes afterhaving left the grain and in which the heavy impurities are deposited,an ascending ai-r passage leading to a secondary hopper in which thelight impurities are deposited, and a return air passage leading to thescouring chamber, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination With the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust outlet at one end, an outlet for grain and air at the other end,and an internal air propelling device, of a chamber which is connectedWith said grain outlet and in which the grain is separated from the aircurrent, a chamber in which the grain is afterward caused to descendthrough the same air current, and a return air passage leading to thescouring chamber, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination With the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust outlet at one end, an outlet for grain and air at the other end,and an internal air propelling device, of a chamber which is connectedwith said grain outlet and in which the grain is separated from the aircurrent, a hopper in' which the air current drops the heavy impurities,a chamber in which the grain is caused to descend through the same aircurrent after the latter has passed through` said hopper, and a returnair passage leading to the scouring chamber, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust outlet at one end, an outlet for grain and air at the other endand an internal air propelling device, oi' a chamber which is connectedwith said grain outlet and in which the grain is separated from the aircurrent, a hopper in which the air current drops the heavy impurities, achamber in Which the grain is caused to descend through the same aircurrent after the latter has passed through said hopper, a hopper. inwhich the air current drops the light impurities, and a return airpassage leading to the scouring chamber, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust outlet at itsupper end, an outlet for grain and air at its lowerend and an internal air propelling device, of a gravity separatorarranged underneath said scouring mechanism and composed of a chamberarranged underneath the grain outlet, in which theV grain is separatedfrom the air current, a chaff hopper arranged underneath said chamber,an inclined grain passage leading from said chamber, an air passageleading` from said hopper and intersecting said grain passage, asecondary hopper arranged above said grain pas-V sage on the oppositeside of the machine, and a return air passage leading to the scouringchamber, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust outlet at one end, an outlet for grain and air at' the other end,and an internal air propelling device, of a chamber which is connectedwith said grain outlet and in which the grain is separated from the aircurrent, a grain passage leading from said chamber, an air passage alsoleading from said chamber and intersecting said grain passage, and areturn air passage leading to the scouring chamber, substantially as setforth.

9. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust outlet at one end, a grain outlet at the other end and aninternal air propelling device, of ribs or defleetors arranged on theinner side of the peripheral wall of the scouring chamber opposite theair propelling device and inclined to deflect the grain from thegrainoutlet toward the dust outlet, substantially as set forth.v

lO. The combinationwith the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust ontlet at one end, a grain outlet at the other end and aninternal air propelling device, of ribs arranged .on the head of thechamber adjacent to the grain outlet and extending from the peripherytoward the center of the head in the direction in which the airpropelling device rotates, substantially as set forth.

l1. The combination With the scouring and dust separating chamber havinga dust outlet at one end, an outlet for grain and air at the other endand an internal air 'propelling device, of a gravity separator connectedwith the grain outlet and having ahopper in which the impurities aredeposited and a return passage, and a dust spout connecting said dustoutlet with said hopper and provided with a valve which can be adj ustedto deliver the dust into said hopper or discharge it outside thereof,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 16th day of September, 1892.

ORVILLE M. MORSE.

Witnesses:

JNO. G. MUNDY, SAM. H. CAMP.

IIE

